The present invention relates to a terminal fitting for a flat electrical cable.
One example of a conventional terminal fitting is described in JP 4-359874, and is connected to a flat cable having a long and narrow plate-like conductor sandwiched between insulating layers.
This terminal fitting is provided with a plate-like base and plate-like connecting members that protrude upwards at a right angle from both side edges of the base. The base is attached to one side of the flat cable, and the connecting members are joined to the conductor, the connecting members being bent in an approximate arc shape, and tips of these bent portions piercing an outer insulating layer of the flat cable.
The terminal fitting can be used as a means to join two flat cables, whereby the two flat cables are positioned overlapping one another in the length direction of the conductor, the terminal fitting being attached by piercing connecting portions of the terminal fitting through the overlapping portions.
At this juncture, if the plate faces of the connecting members are positioned so as to be parallel to the length-wise direction of the conductor, a pulling force exerted along the length-wise direction of the conductor located between the two flat cables may cause the connecting members, which pierce the flat cables, to function like a blade, splitting these flat cables along edges of slits that are created by the piercing.
It was considered that this problem might be dealt with by piercing the conductor so that the direction of the plate faces of the connecting members is approximately at a right angle with respect to the length-wise direction of the conductor. In that case, however, when a bending force is exerted on the flat cable, the portions along the area pierced by the connecting members are bent up.
The present invention has taken the above problem into consideration, and aims to present a terminal fitting wherein flat cables are not damaged by pulling forces or bending forces.
According to the invention there is provided a one-piece terminal fitting formed from sheet metal and adapted to electrically connect a plurality of overlying flat cables each having a strip-like conductor and an insulating cover, said terminal fitting comprising:
a base engageable with one side of the flat cables,
connecting portions protruding from said base and having edges adapted to pierce the flat cables and to project from the other side of the flat cables, wherein said connecting portions are bendable in a direction transverse to the length of the strip and substantially at a right angle to extend over and contact said other side, whereby the flat cables can be tightly engaged between said base and said connecting portions.
Such a terminal fitting prevents cable splitting, and is adapted to relieve the pierced portions of bending stresses.
Preferably the fitting further comprises clamping portions protruding from said base, each said clamping portion having an edge adapted to piece the flat cables from said one side and to project from said other side,
wherein each said clamping portion is bendable substantially at a right angle to extend over and tightly engage the exposed surface of said connecting portion whereby said connecting portion and flat cable can be tightly engaged between said base and said clamping portions.
In a preferred embodiment, the fitting comprises a flat blank having an elongate body, a first arm extending laterally from one long side of said body adjacent one end thereof and extending parallel to said body in a first direction at a distance therefrom, a second arm extending laterally from the other long side of said body adjacent the other end thereof, and extending parallel to said body at a distance therefrom and in a direction opposite to said first direction, two laterally and oppositely extending third arms at one end of said body, two laterally and oppositely extending third arms at the other end of said body, and two longitudinally extending fourth arms one at each end of said body, said first, second and third arms having pointed ends, and the ends of said first and second arms being spaced from adjacent third arms.